The Five Elements of Ra
by GoldenDragonLol
Summary: After a year of peace, Set is threatening to resurface on Earth and unleash his wrath. With the arise of new dangers, the O'Connells must join forces with an old foe to stop Set from getting his way. But soon, the struggle for something simple becomes complicated, even for a mummy.(Takes place after TMR). Enjoy ;) Reviews are welcomed.
1. Chapter 1 My sister Comes To Town

**A/N: This is my first Mummy Fanfic, guys. Please be aware that there will be OCs in this story and one OCx. All the characters are rightfully owned by Universal studios, except for my OCs. Takes place one year after TMR. And yes, this is another sister fic, but I had to write it down. Anyway, enjoy! :)  
**

* * *

_Chapter One~ My Sister Comes to Town_

Rick O'Connell groaned as he stretched himself in his chair, various bones cracking as he did so. He didn't realize that is was morning until the beam of sunlight shined over his face, causing him to grimace uncomfortably. It was Monday. And he had always hated Mondays. He simply loathed it because it was the beginning of the week when Evelyn would indulge herself in their huge library, looking through ancient texts and scrolls.

Ever since they had killed off the mummy Imhotep_ twice,_ Rick's life had reverted back to its boring form. Alex still had school. And Jonathan, of course, would only be seen at the local bar, chucking away his money for a glass of whiskey. He sighed, he was alone now, with nothing to do except examining old artifacts that the Bembridge Scholars had discovered. So far, nothing that interested him was found.

Although he wouldn't dare to admit it, Rick actually liked having adventures. He loved the exciting urge of when they had uncovered an old and powerful artifact such as the Bracelet of Anubis. And the mad rush of emotions when he would look back and say that he was the one who had done all of those things. They were just priceless, to think that he would go out and never come back. Though that would suck.

Grumbling, Rick turned back to his examinations.

The pile of 'treasures' sent to him included a few broken potteries and some glassware art. His eyebrows rose in amusement. Maybe he should ship a couple of these to Lisa back in Illinois. He chuckled, his sister would love them, after all, her whole house is stuffed with these things. A sudden awareness hits his head and Rick almost fell out of his chair. His sister! His Sister was coming to stay today! No wonder Alex was so jumpy yesterday. He had totally forgotten about it.

"What the-" he wasn't able to finish his sentence as he jumped up immediately, searching for his jacket. Evie walked out from the library, and was met by her frantic husband. Her eyes widened.

"Rick, don't tell me that it's almost eleven o'clock and you're still not at the train station!" she folded her arms angrily and gave him the death glare. Rick smiled sheepishly, he felt stupid. He only had the time to gesture an apology before heading to the door, with an upset Evie still burning holes on the back of his shirt.

"Sorry Evie, got carried away. I think I can still make it in time!" he shouted as the front doors closed. Jumping into his car, he sped away into the distance. Looking out through the window, his wife sighed. The family was finally back to normal, or at least what she thought was normal. Evie's lips curled up to a small smile. Peace at last. Her musings were interrupted, though, when she remembered the very attracting legend she was just reading and she quickly ran back to work.

* * *

Glancing at his watch, Rick surveyed his surroundings nervously. The train was almost thirty minutes behind schedule, and there was not a single sign of the locomotive.

"Dang it, and I thought I was late." he muttered. Everywhere, people were pulling and shuffling around in the increasing crowd. Luggages bumped into each other and the boiling steam that the trains emitted were strong enough to make Rick gag. "Now how am I going to find her in this mess?"

Looking around some more, Rick asked a few fellow staffs if they knew of the late passengers. It was useless as none of them had any clue.

Finally, he decided to it down and wait. He flipped at his watch, half past eleven. Great, now Evie will really be mad. Rick yawned, he was still sleepy. After the big night at one of Alex's friend's birthday party he desparately needed a cup of coffee to keep himself awake. The young man was growing, and he was starting to despise sleep more and more. Rick literally had to sit by his side for twenty minutes to get the hyper aftermath of the party out of him.

Flexing his fingers, he rested his head on the walls and closed his eyes. Argh, if it weren't so loud! Surprisingly, Rick was still able to have a minutes rest. The chattering of voices kept him half aware of the outside world. But before he could completely doze off to sleep, a voice was heard calling out through the crowds.

"Rick? Rick?! Are you here?" the voice instantly rang a doorbell in Rock's ears and he stood up abruptly. Sure enough, a young woman in her early twenties was visible amongst the struggling arrivals. The dark blonde hair and the braid was easily spotted by Rick and he quickly caught her eyes. At first, she just stared at him, shocked. Then in a flash, she had engulfed him in a warm hug and Rick was nearly knocked off his feet.

Blue eyes stared into each other as the siblings exploded into a choir of laughter.

"How has it been, Lisa?" Rick asked, pulling out of the embrace. The woman took a minute to collect herself before looking up.

"Great!" Lisa exclaimed. "Sorry, I know it's only been four years since we last saw one another. But I just can't help it!"

Rick chuckled "C'mon Liz, now why would I think that? Besides, Alex is just as excited to see you as we all are. Won't wanna make him sad, won't you?"

Lisa smiled. It has been a long time since she had seen his outgoing and mischievous personality.

"No, I wouldn't want to." she replied. Still laughing, Rick took her bags in his arms.

"I think Evie's probably getting anxious now. Let's go, my car's over on the outside." Leading her out to the doors, the two walked to his new car. Setting her suitcases inside the trunk, Rick and Lisa got into their seats. Lisa looked at the new interior of the automobile and frowned. Something was not right.

"Is this a new vehicle you bought?" she inquired.

"Yeah. What's wrong?"

"What happened to the other one? I mean, the one you got the last time I came here."

Rick shifted uncomfortably in the drivers seat and fought to look at her in the eye. Rats, she noticed it.

"Well," he began, "that car got broken in a little accident last year. So I had to get a new one. No biggy" She raised her eyebrow in amusement and shook her head.

"Rick, you never cease to amaze me, you know."

He smiled in relief, at least she didn't press on about that.

"I know, Liz. I know."

* * *

**I have no clue whether this should be an Imhotep/OC or Ardeth/OC. But I'm kind of leaning towards Imhotep, okay?**


	2. Chapter 2 Dinner and Uh Oh

_Chapter Two~ Dinner and Uh Oh_

For the first four hours, the O'Connells took their time to welcome their new guest. Evie gave her sister-in-law a good hug and the lass was shown her very own room. Lisa had almost forgot that her brother was rich. The surprise came to her in a pretty package, not that she didn't mind. Opening her suitcase, she unpacked her clothes and toothbrush and settled them in their respective places.

She gazed at the place she called second home. The furnitures were richly, yet gracefully decorated. Her bed was carved from pure mahogany wood, queen-sized. Since her brother knew that she didn't like to sleep in large spaces, the room wasn't really big. She gave him a silent thank you for that. A night stand was placed right by the bed, with a lamp and a few of her favorite novels sitting on top.

"Ahh," she sighed,"two weeks in heaven. Just me and my family."

Briskly jumping into the tub, Lisa gave herself a quick scrub before sliding putting on fresh new clothes. Brushing her tangling hair, she braided them into a loose side braid. .

"Aunty Liz!" A shout echoed from outside her door and through the hall. Within seconds, Alex came running into the dorm. Squeezing his aunt until she was gasping for breath, he let go.

"Sorry." Alex apologized. Lisa smiled.

"No problem." she assured. "You've gotten strong Alex. Must be taking over your father, I bet."

"Of course!" Alex insisted proudly. "I can even lift up Mom's book case now!"

"Ahem, I think you meant book _bag_ instead of book case, Alex." Rick's voice sounded from outside. From the hall, the boy's parents came in, each giving their son a rub on the head.

"Alex, did you wash up yet?" Evie asked. "You just came back from school." The boy grumbled at the question, apparently annoyed at how he was being dotted upon by his mother. Rick pretended to scowl and playfully picked him up.

"Ha, ha! For trying to sneak past us, looks like you just got yourself a thirty-minutes worth of bathing." he said. Hearing the word 'bath', Alex immediately began to squirm under Rick's hold. The audience all chuckled, making the boy's face turn red from embarrassment.

"But Dad, I don't want to!" he complained. But Rick was having none of that.

"Oh no, mister. You won't be getting away this time!" He turned to walk away with his son still on his shoulders. Alex pouted.

"Wait, I just want to see what presents Aunty Liz has for me this time, Dad. Please!" After the repeated lines of 'please', Rick decided to put the boy down. Lisa laughed along with Evie at the sight. Unzipping her suitcase, she managed to pull out a small statue of Horus, one of Alex's favorite gods. Even though she herself rarely read anything about ancient Egypt, Lisa figured it wouldn't hurt to explore the Egyptian store once. Her nephew gazed at the sculpture longingly and he tucked it away in his bag.

"Now what do you say, Alex?" Evie asked. The boy instantly broke out of his trance and smiled up to Lisa.

"Thank ya Aunt Liz!" he said as Rick carried him out the room. The two women exchanged knowing looks and giggled.

"Come on, I'll take you to see Jonathan." Motioning for her to follow, Evie led Lisa down to the living room.

* * *

"So Lisa, how are the days at the Johnson's Art Center going by lately?" Evie asked. Her knife cuts through a slice of pork and she waited patiently for Lisa to finish. Swallowing her bite of lettuce, Lisa grinned.

"It's going very well, Evie. I am now recently in charge of showing the children the history of art and sculptures such as from Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci!" She answered. Lisa felt proud at her accomplishments and Rick laughed. At least his sister didn't change one bit since the last he saw of her. Glancing around the room, Lisa's eyes suddenly widened in interest.

"Evie, is it me or is it just that you two have been collecting a lot of Egyptian antiques lately?"

Rick coughed at the question, but his wife didn't seem disturbed at all. Instead, Evie's face quickly lit up at the mention.

"Yup, we've been quite busy. And the things we found were _remarkable_, Liz. I mean, you've got to see the sarcophogus of the pharoah

"Yup, we've been quite busy. And the things we found were _remarkable_, Liz. I mean, you've got to see the sarcophagus of the pharaohs! Oh, and especially the mumm-"

"Honey, I think we should just let that rest for a bit, don't you think?" Rick interrupted. Evie's cheeks reddened at his remark and smiled uneasily. Of course, it only stroke up Lisa's throbbing curiosity. Leaning forward, she was determined to get a good grip on the subject.

"What do you mean 'we should just let that rest for a bit'?" she asked. A dead silence filled the table and Jonathan muttered a series of what it seemed to be curses. On the other hand, Rick, Evie, and Alex put on a poker face.

"Never mind that, Aunty Liz," Alex chimed, "it's that we have found a few interesting things along the way in Egypt." His aunt mumbled a slight 'oh' and the rest of the family breathed out a sigh, including Jonathan.

"And speaking of which..." Evie added. "Earlier in the day, I came across a rather interesting legend in the textbook. It is said that there are, or rather were, five pieces of Ra. These items were scattered around Egypt, and whoever has them all can absorb the power of the gods and control the Earth! "

"Aww shucks, Evie! It's just like the Bracelet of Anubis!" Jonathan whined. But as soon as his mouth was done talking, he realized that he had just spilled a buckets worth of secrets. Frowning, Rick gave him a hard kick on the shins and Evie gave him a dirty look.

"Um..ah, please excuse me, Liz." Jonathan quickly said." My head is dizzy from the beers I had today. Don't mind me, he, he."

Lisa stared at him strangely before nodding at Evie to go on.

"Oh yes! Now where were we? Ah, now there is only five items in this legend, but the most interesting part about it is that I found a small ring in the basement lately today, and it matched quite well with one of the items on the book." Not waiting for the others to make a respond, the woman excitedly rushed out of her seat and ran upstairs to her room. Below, the family just stared at her seat awkwardly. Rick groaned. His wife just made another discovery on some sort of adventure.

Walking hurriedly back to the table, Evie held out a small bundle and a rather big, dusty book. The rest of the audience squinted at the enveloped object. Unwrapping the cloth, a golden ring adorned with a ruby carved into a lion sat peacefully on Evie's palms. Rick shuddered, it looked just like the one in the book. And he was sure for one thing: it didn't mean good. While Lisa, who seemed anything but scared, leaned in to have a good look.

"Whoa. That's quite impressive, actually."

"You see," Evie explained, "this is one of the items from the myth! I'm absolutely positive." She sat the items down with a triumphant gleam in her eyes.

"And you are correct." a voice boomed from behind the table. Every one froze in their position. Whipping around, Rick came face-to-face with three men. Dressed in ebony black attires, their faces were covered in tattoos. One even had one running down his arms. Standing with their feet planted heavily on the ground, the intruders' scimitars hung from their belts, making them look as menacing as bodyguard. Rick glared at the men and he slowly rose from his chair. This was just great.

"Who are you? And how did you get into my house?" he demanded. The lead warrior simply smirked, causing Lisa to cringe. There was something about him that she didn't like at all.

"The name's Ishtar, O'Connell. How did we get in? Well, that's for you to find out and us to know." he responded. Cautiously, Jonathan moved to Alex's side and made an effort to shield the boy. Ishtar noticed and smiled coldly. "Why hello, little one."

"What do you want from us?" Evie hissed. Ishtar rolled his eyes, as though he expected them to know why. He took a step forward, and Lisa gulped and slipped back along with the others.

"Sekhmet's Ring, of course. And the book."

Rick stared at him quizzically, wondering why he would want those. Then slowly, like water seeping into a bowl, a realization dawned on him, and he growled.

"Oh no, don't you even think about it."

Ishtar sneered. "I'm afraid you don't have a choice in this, O'Connell." Without another word, he waved his hands and the two followers advanced on their victim, Evie. Moving out of their way, the woman lashed out a kick and tossed the items at Rick, who caught them swiftly.

"I've been alive long enough to know what creeps like you are after. And believe me, you are so not going to get it!" Evie snapped. On the side, a bewildered Lisa stared at the increasing violence as her brother and sister-in-law wrestled the black clothed men. Rick was never the soft kind of man, in fact, Lisa herself saw him in many brawls when they were young. But this? Maybe her brother had become quite popular over the years.

The shortest one of the three managed to punch Rick square in the jaw, resulting the O'Connell to spit out a bit of blood. In front of Alex, Jonathan shouted a series of curses and insults. Noticing that the attention of the assailants were quickly turning to the others, Rick shoved his attacker off of him onto a book shelf.

"Jonathan! Take Lisa and Alex and get the hell outta here!" he roared. Said man didn't even need to hesitate as he immediately began to drag the other two from the scene. Breaking into a sprint, they ran down the hallway towards the back door of the huge mansion. Shouts and bangs were still heard from the dining room and Lisa held Alex close. Her attention was brought back to the door when Jonathan managed to break it open.

Filing outside one by one, the three ran out into the dark night. Once safe, Lisa stared at the place they had just occupied, shivering with fear. Jonathan, relieved, wiped a nervous sweat from his eyebrow.

"Whew, that was close." he muttered. But his theory was soon disrupted as a hand snaked through the mist and clasped his mouth shut. Several more of the black clothed men appeared through the bushes and ran towards the remaining prey. Screaming, Alex and Lisa made a bolt at Jonathan's captor. But their efforts were made useless as two others came up from behind and grabbed them roughly by the arms.

"Lemme go! Lemme Go!" Lisa shrieked. "I demand to know why I'm being man-handled!" Laughing with his companions, the man gave her a nasty smirk. Alex tried to yelp, but he was silenced as well. Clamping her lips shut, one of the intruders produced a long dagger from his robes. The shiny metal glinted under the moonlight and Lisa wouldn't imagine how painful it was to get those stuck on a person's body. The crooks seemingly noticed her thoughts and laughed. One stepped up to her, the weapon ready. Her throat ached, the vocal chords felt like ripping due to her attempts at yelling.

"Ladies first." the man sneered. He raised the dagger over his head and Lisa waited for the sharp edge to pierce her. Time temporarily stopped, and all she saw was the man's blade slowly inching closer and closer to her chest. Then somehow, she wasn't sure if she was dead. The dagger was knocked away and gunshots were heard in the distant. Gradually, she surveyed around to see that the men who had tried to kill them seconds ago were dead.

"Liz. Liz! Are you alright?" the voice sounded familiar. Lisa squinted in the darkness and a figure of a man became visible as he ran forward. It took her almost a minute to realize who it was.

"Eric?...Eric!" she jogged up to the savior and wrapped her hands around him in shock. "Oh my god, Eric! It has been so long! How...how did you find us here?"

The dark haired man chuckled softly." Rick told me I could visit anytime I wanted. Seems like I came at the right time, eh?" On her side, Jonathan and Alex stared at the new arrival curiously.

"Guys, this is Eric Thompson." Lisa said. "Rick and I met him while we were at the orphanage in Cairo. We're friends."

Jonathan shrugged. "Oh, in that case: I'm Jonathan Carnahan, Evie's brother. And this is Alex O'Connell, Lisa and I's nephew." Eric smiled and stuck out a hand for him to shake. Hesitating slightly, Jonathan took it. The moment of silence lasted only for a while before it was interrupted when the Rick and Evie raced out of the house. Stopping in front of the rest, they panted deeply and caught their breaths. Looking up, the older O'Connell's eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

Eric grinned "Hey Ricky! Glad I came to stop by?" Rick wanted to ask what happened, but time was running out and they had to move out fast.

"Ok, questions later. First, we have to track down those men. They got the ring and the book. And it's just a matter of time before everybody goes into danger. We have to stop them before it's too late!" he said. The others nodded solemnly.

"What about Alex and Lisa?" Evie asked. Rick shook his head in frustration.

"We can't have them leave our sight. The intruders will come back for them. I'm sorry, but they'll have to come."

"Yeah, I'll be the bravest kid you guys had ever met!" Alex said. Rolling his eyes, Rick picked the boy up. Heading to his car, they managed to squeeze in, with Alex sitting on his mother's lap. Then steadily, the car moved from in and out of view.

* * *

**How was this chapter?**


	3. Chapter 3 Imhotep Comes Back To Life

Chapter Three~ Imhotep Comes Back To Life, Again...

Pain, agony, blood, anger: they were of no importance to a specific priest beneath the underworld. Amidst the chaos of the afterlife, Imhotep laid flat on the cold floor, facing the never ending ceiling of the pits of hell. For the first time in centuries, he wanted to cry. Not out of despair, but of frustration. He could still remember every single detail before he had let himself fall free to his doom. Him and O'Connell grasping the edges for life, Nefertiri, or whoever she was, coming to save her husband, risking death itself, and the time when Ankh-Su-Namun finally proved herself to him for what she really was and left him.

_'Nai!'_ the very word replayed itself again and again in his head. She had abandoned him. She had left him to the demons from hell. The very woman he had loved and cared for for three thousand years actually turned out to be a dream, a mere lie. Imhotep shook his head violently, hoping that he would wake up from his nightmare and find himself in her arms. But even he knew there was no point, the truth hit him solid on the chest. He was alone. For once, Imhotep had never felt so despised in his entire life.

First, the Pharaoh hated him, though he didn't mind. Second, the very god he served was now no longer his base of life. And third, the person who he believed loved him most, turned out to be nothing but a sugar-coated act.

As if the memories were fuel, boiling anger surged through Imhotep's veins. The hot sensation ran through his mind and blurred his vision. He loathed them, he loathed every single ounce of undying life in his body. He was a prisoner inside his own self. The thought was ridiculous, but that didn't matter anymore. Imhotep could've sworn that if there was even a single person here, he would lose control and kill all over again.

His hate, his fury, they were all directed to the O'Connells. They had everything. Peace, happiness, and love. Imhotep couldn't believe what he was thinking, he was actually jealous of the family. But as for Ankh-Su-Namun, he wasn't clear on whether or not if he should hate her, or still continue to love her. His head swam with different ideas, making Imhotep growl.

Clenching his fist, he tried his best to calm down. Then silently, he sat up. Time wasn't countable in the gates of hell. Imhotep wasn't sure how long he had been here, but it seemed quite a while to him. He let out a sneer. Why would he care? The only thing that was left for him to do was to stay here for the rest of eternity, or whatever the curse had. Might as well relent. At the moment, Imhotep felt exhausted, the anger draining his energy to think.

"Hello, Imhotep. It has been a long, long time since we encountered each other." a deep voice rang through the air. The priest froze, that voice, oh how he knew that voice and despised it. Before him, a cloud of mist formed into a solid figure, with a rather blurry face. But from his shape, Imhotep knew the god, Osiris.

"Osiris..." he stated coldly. In front, the god either ignored his displeasure or didn't notice it. Instead, it sighed.

"So how does it feel, betrayal?" Osiris asked, his voice calm. The high priest laughed bitterly.

"What do you think? Did you expect me to say it is wonderful?" he spat. Imhotep's response caused the god to shift a little. Osiris paused for a while, then he continued to speak.

"So now you know what it is like to be betrayed, young one."

The priest glared at the statement and growled. "And why does that matter to me anymore? Yes, I was betrayed, just like what I did to you eons ago. But now we're all even. You got your revenge and I payed the price, with my life and soul. Isn't that enough torture for you to see?"

There was a moment of silence that pasted between them. Osiris seemed to be contemplating something and Imhotep could care less of what he was going to say. He just wanted to be left alone, forever. After what seemed to be like hours, the God of the Dead apparently made his decision.

"I know you have more to spout, Imhotep. But now is not the time." he explained. "I offer you a choice. Right now, my brother Set is scheming on taking the Five Elements of Ra. And with them, he will absorb all the powers of the gods and create havoc on Earth." He paused again, letting the information sink into Imhotep's mind. The priest frowned. The Five Pieces of Ra, he had heard of them when he was still alive. But even he had been taught that it was foolish to try to claim immortality from the deities.

Osiris took his expression as a good sign and continued. "Our powers are waning, Imhotep. And the O'Connells are already out to stop Set's followers. You can help them and you can choose not to. If you stop Set's men alone, I will not interfere. As long as the plan fails, I'm content. And as a reward, you shall be free from the curse. Do we have an agreement?"

Imhotep stared at the god, not knowing what else to say. The deal was okay, not that he disliked it. But if he was going to take down a group of amateur followers, he could do it within a day. Why need the O'Connells? Besides he could just kill them whenever he wanted. Apparently, his thoughts were seen by the god as Osiris gave him a low grunt.

"But before I release you to the world of the living, I must... confisticate some of your abilities. Is that understood?"

Imhotep's confidence faded. He knew it. He knew that Osiris wouldn't let him go off that easily. So it seems that the god wasn't very trustful of him. Though he couldn't blame him, after what he had did three thousand years ago.

"If that is what you wish...Osiris." he said through gritted teeth.

Osiris nodded his head in approval. "Very well then. You have got yourself a deal. May Ra protect you."

The feeling of victory soothed the high priest. Imhotep smiled. He was going enjoy his triumph, on top of the O'Connells. And he was going to be the one to make sure that he does.


	4. Chapter 4 Reconnections With Old Friends

**A/N: I'm sorry if I misspelled the names of the canon characters in the first few chapters. It's juat that there are so many ways people spell them. Okie-doky?**

* * *

_Chapter Four~ A Reconnection With Old Friends_

"Just where do you think we are going?" Jonathan whined as the party stepped off the boat. Cairo, the capitol of Egypt, was loaded with bustling people. It was as big as it ever was. The stench of sweat hovered in the air, and the port they stepped in was crowded and heavy with dust. Jonathan wrinkled his nose, muttering something about pests and dirt. Rick ignored him. A few years before, he had no problem with the heat. But after a while without it, he had to get use to it again too.

"We're going to the Cairo Museum of Antiquities. We need all the help we can get." he mumbled. At the mention of the familiar museum, Evie and Jonathan looked cheery at once. Lisa raised an eyebrow, curious at why they needed a museum.

"Do you think Ardeth will help us here?" Jonathan asked. Rick snorted.

"Of course he will. If it has something to do with the well-being of Egypt, there's no way he wouldn't want to." Sauntering through the streets, the band made its way through the citizens of Cairo and out into the clearing. Lisa gazed at the daily schedules of the people. Markets were set up, there was camels on sale, and fabric stores with beautiful cloths dangling on the hooks and shelves were included as well. She had almost forgotten how busy the streets could get in the mornings. Staring up at Eric, his expression told her that he missed the place as much as she did.

"So...who is Ardeth?" Eric inquired as they walked.

"Oh, he is friend we made a few years back when zevy and I took our expedition here." Rick replied. Seeing her chance, the younger O'Connell decided to dig deeper into the subject.

"What expedition?" Lisa asked. Crossing her fingers, she waited for her brother to lower his guards and spill information. But Rick wasn't having any of that. Lisa would kill him if he told her about his encounters with the big bad mummy. Besides, she wouldn't believe him. She was an atheist, much like Evy, only believing in things that she could touch, see, and smell.

"Uh... it's quite a long story, Liz. Right now, we need to move on. I'll tell you some time later, okay?"

Disappointed, Lisa let out a sigh. Rick felt a tapping on his shoulders and he turned his head to face his wife. Cautiously, Evy inched up to his ears and whispered.

"How long are you going to keep that secret of ours? With questions like that popping out from time to time, we won't be able to mask it any loner."

He fidgeted restlessly and shrugged.

"I don't know, honey. It's best if she never knew. I mean, who would believe us in the first-" he stopped in mid-sentence and stared at the building in front of him. Big pillars, decorated doors, two bushes on the side, yup, they were there. Much like the museum they saw nine years ago, the long pillars stood tall and proud. And Rick couldn't help but to feel the aura of intimidation again. "Well guys, this is it. Let's go."

They entered the structure. The steps seemed they were recently polished, since the marble grounds glowed under the sun. Once inside, they were greeted by a blast of cold air. The travelers all sighed, welcoming the rare temperature of Egypt that flooded their skins. And Jonathan, who was grouchy moments before, was instantly reverted back to his casual self. Not wasting anymore time, Rick walked up to the counter and a staff smiled up at him.

"Good morning, sir. How can I help you?"

"I'd like to see your curator please." he requested flatly. Rick cursed inside his head for appearing so indifferent, but he wasn't really in his lightest moods at the moment. The lady was taken back by his tone, nonetheless, she compsed herslef and frowned.

"I'm sorry, sir. You need to schedule an appointment with him first. I'm afraid I can't help you here." she replied, obviously offended. From behind, Evy gripped her bag, Rick wasn't making things go smooth. If they can't reach the Medjais in time, then they would be in serious trouble, or worse, _very_ serious trouble. Her husband looked like he was about to throw a fit, he didn't have the patience to talk over museum guidelines with the woman. He had more important things to do.

"Look, can't I just see him for a minute? This is important!" he begged. The lady, however, didn't seem convinced.

"Then may I ask what the important issue is?" she asked. To Rick, that was the last straw. But before the O'Connell can say anything else, a figure came into his peripheral vision. A familiar-looking man dressed in traditional Medjai uniform walked out from a door. The couple's face brightened at his appearance.

"Ardeth! It's so good to see you!" Evie cried. Hearing his name being called, Ardeth whirled around, and was met by the extended family. It took him no time to recognize their faces. Rushing towards them in long strides, he stopped in front of them and smiled.

"My friends, what is the matter brings you here?"

Rick glanced around at their surroundings and he broke down to a nervous sweat. "We don't have time for a reunion celebration right now, buddy. It's about the Five Elements of Ra, or whatever it is. And if we don't fix it...we'll be in big, _big_ trouble..."

* * *

Inside the main office of the curator, Lisa sat staring at the fellow stranger awkwardly. Her brother called him Ardeth, so that seemed to be the general way to address him. But what was even weirder was that the Medjai had tattoos on both of his cheeks and forhead, inscripted in hieroglyphs.

Her brother had taken the last ten minutes intruding them explaining the reason why they were here. And honestly, the warrior friend didn't look like he was going to catch up. When Rick was finally done talking, Ardeth gave him a quizzical look. Locking his fingers together, he furrowed his eyebrows, seemingly in thought.

"The Five Elements of Ra." he said. "We have heard of its history and its powers. But no one has ever attempted to perform the ritual. It is as dangerous as performing the Hom Dai."

Again, Lisa was puzzled. "What's the 'Hom Dai'?"

"The Hom Dai is a curse, used only on the most blasphemous people in ancient Egypt. And it is also the worst punishment one could have." Ardeth explained. "Your brother hasn't told you about it yet, Ms. O'Connell?" Peeved, Lisa stared at Rick, who, on the other hand, was trying to not look at her as mush as he could. He was hiding something, and she had a gut feeling that it wasn't going to be good. Before she could open her mouth to ask, her brother forcefully cuts into the chat.

"We can explain that later. For now, What we need to know is who the heck are people who attacked us, and where they will be going next." He looked at Evy and gave her a small sign to start talking. She snapped from her daze and grabbed a notebook from one of the desks.

"I haven't read the whole excerpt in the book, yet. But there wasn't enough information on the five items. Legend says that they are kept hidden in five locations in Egypt. They already have Sekhmet's Ring. Now they need the other four. The book said that the seal of Amun-Ra is at the Temple of Ra at Thebes. But..." Evy paused, a sour expression spreading across her face, "...I do not know the rest as the book concludes that the other three objects are still undiscovered."

Silence filled the room as the archeologist hung her head in despair. Ardeth sighed, if they didn't know where to locate the other items, then they'll never be able to catch up and prevent the world from collapsing. Rick felt no better, it was true, the plan was hopeless. But suddenly, his eyes sparked up with an idea.

"Since the book doesn't have the information, then the crooks who stole them won't know any more than we do." he said. "And then the possibility of them getting all five will be so small that we have a chance to stop their scheme. Am I right, guys?"

Ardeth nodded in agreement. "That may be right, my friend. But we must not lose faith. We still have time to stop them. How about this: we head out right now to Thebes, were we will try to find the Seal of Amun-Ra. Then we'll head to one of the Medjai tribes nearby to get some rest and a few more men. And if Ra is generous, maybe we can discover some secrets that will lead us to the other three. Does that sound like a plan?"

Lisa thought for a moment, thinking of the possibilities that they could win or lose. For her, this wasn't something she did frequently. And the idea of doing so made her feel sick. She looked at her brother, who was apparently deep in his musings as well. No one was sure if they could come out with the exact results. Evy held Alex close, tightening her grip as though it would protect him from the plaguing evils outside in the deserts.

Rick made his decision. "Fine, we'll go. But if anything goes wrong, we head back immediately. I'm not risking my relatives anymore."

The whole room agreed to his plan.

Deep down, Lisa felt something was wrong, like they shouldn't go out like that. But then again, another feeling told her that she should, that there was also a spark of hope on the mission. Lisa grimaced, she didn't want to go through the same experience she went through three nights before. Guns and swords weren't her thing, and they would never be her thing. Although she hated violence, a little adventure sounded like fun. And she couldn't help but to feel a tint of excitement inside her as well, as much as she wanted to deny it.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she noticed Ardeth staring her family down like a hawk with his prey. Wrinkling his nose slightly, he turned to her brother again.

"I'll get you people some proper clothes for the journey. What you are wearing now is not fit for what we have coming to us." Rick raised an eyebrow.

"What? This is my favorite blue shirt!"

Evy glared at him. "You know how I hate that shirt, right?" Returning their comments with a small smile, Ardeth shook his head.

"Once we are out there, your shirt will become the least of your worries, my friend."

Rick rolled his eyes indifferently.

"I just hope it won't be like the last time."


	5. Chapter 5 Old Enemies

**A/N: For those who had read the first few chapters of this story, I'm terribly sorry about my small grammar mistakes and dialogue issues. I'm hoping that I would quickly learn from these mistakes and continue to move one. I'd like to give thanks to GeorgyannWason for helping me discover the typos. I'll keep doing my best!**

** Imhotep is speaking Hebrew. I can't find the Egyptian language. It's not very accurate though.  
**

* * *

_Chapter Five~Old Enemies_

Under the scorching sun in the quiet desert, eight camels could be seen trotting at an immensely slow pace on the high sands. Among them, Lisa held tightly onto her shawl, afraid that if she lost it, she would be fried into a human bacon. The trip was horrible. And she wasn't going to deny that. At the moment, she wondered if her brother actually enjoyed these types of adventures.

Up ahead, Rick was seen riding on his camel quite well, while holding onto the leash of an extra horse. They had brought the animal just in case if one of theirs became tired. In truth, Lisa never truly understood her brother. As a young boy, he loved to get into trouble, and was good at getting away with it, too. It never occurred to him that he should lay back and watch as life go by. She laughed mentally, he was never going to change. And maybe that was the reason why she loved him so much.

The younger O'Connell jerked uncomfortably on her saddle. Lisa had never ridden a horse before, and a camel was just out of the question. Every step made her shift forward and backward. If Lisa didn't have the heat to distract her, she was sure she would've emptied her stomach hours ago. Jonathan was anything but happy with the idea, too. He groaned and mumbled until he finally got tired and became silent.

"Um...Rick. How long is it going to take for us to get to Thebes?" She asked. Risk shook his head and shrugged in reply. He wasn't very familiar with the deserts, even though it was the third time he came here. Everything looked the same. There wasn't any roads, nor there was any people. Under his breath, he swore that when this was all over, he was never going to step a single toe on the cursed lands again.

Lisa was beginning to loose her cool. From the start, she was suspicious, suspicious of Rick's strange life-style and certain 'conditions'. The expedition itself suddenly seemed fishy, like there was more to it than it was to the naked eye. She stole a peek at Eric. Beside her, he didn't look nervous at all. Instead, his expression held a hint of curiosity and anticipation. She sighed, he and her brother were probably like this when they had left the orphanage.

She glanced up at the sky. The sun was beginning to fade into the distance as they probably entered the late afternoon. Although she didn't fancy the desert, Lisa had to admire the orange and red glow that covered the sky as dawn was slowly disappearing into the ether. Eventually, boredom spread to her and she dozed off for the time being.

She didn't dream, much to her annoyance. Dreaming was one of the hobbies Lisa loved to do in her free time. They were both comforting and very entertaining. But all she had for now was a black wall staring back at her. Ignoring the blankness of her imagination, she let herself fall into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

"Liz? Liz, wake up." A hand shook her from the darkness and she groggily opened her eyes. Her brother was looking up at her from the ground. They had stopped. Gradually, she took her time to scan their surroundings. But the sleepy state she was in prevented her from absorbing information clearly. Rubbing her cracking eyelids, she tried to dismount the camel. Only it was then she realized she didn't know how to. She groaned. It was Rick who lifted her up onto her ride in the first place. Apparently, he had forgotten to teach her how to get off.

"Rick, lend me a hand, please." She croaked. Her brother stared at her, puzzled. It took a moment for Rick to remember that his sister had never been on a camel ride before, and his face flushed with embarrassment.

"Sorry, Liz. Here." He wrapped his arms around her back and she was pulled to the ground. She stifled a sigh of relief. It felt good to have both feet balanced on solid platforms. Just when Lisa thought her daily torture was over, a dull pain shot across her thighs and she found it impossibly uncomfortable to straighten her legs. Tried as she might, her knees were like dried twigs, not relenting to her movements. Rick noticed her distress and chortled sheepishly. "Yeah, it can be painful. Just get use to it, it'll come by fast."

She shot him an angry look. "It's easier said than done, Rick."

At her raised voice, Rick held up both hands in defense. "Easy there, sis. I felt the same when I rode my first horse. Relax, it'll be fine. Trust me."

On his side, Evy unraveled a few blankets and lowered them to the ground. Then rolling her shawl into a tight bundle, she made a pillow for Alex. Following her actions, Lisa made herself a small, but cozy sleeping bag in no time. Night had descended upon them, and the party had decided that a good night's rest was important for the next day. Carefully, Lisa dropped down on her 'mattress', avoiding the use of her pained legs.

"G'night guys." Evy said as she covered herself with a jacket. The rest followed suit and they all prepared for a good slumber. Lisa laid awake for a while, finding it rather difficult to sleep on her shawl. After a few minutes of laying there, she was beginning to hear small snores, mostly coming from Jonathan. She flipped to her sides. Every one else was already either dozing off or asleep. Frowning, she faced the sky. The bright stars made her feel at peace, at home. Lisa softened her facial muscles. Stretching a hand up to the dark sky, she began to count the shining inhabitants, figuring that it could make her go to sleep.

But unfortunately, that only kept her awake. Lisa crossed her arms thoughtfully, thinking that if she laid still for some time, maybe her brain would finally shut down. She closed her eyes, chanting 'sleep' over and over again in her head, hoping to get dizzy. The result was no different from the first one. Instead, it made her feel even more frustrated. Finally, she gave up and opened her eyes. Lisa was just going to let things go naturally.

In time, her yearning for rest morphed into curiosity. They were by a ruin, an old ruin for sure. And the sudden idea of exploring made its way into Lisa's head. A little while out there won't hurt, right? Besides, her brother was an adventurer himself. Why can't she have some fun? Contemplating the possibilities, Lisa sat up. A walk in the desert sounded peaceful, and she wanted to be peaceful at the moment. Rubbing her sore legs, she felt that they were beginning to get better.

Slowly, she crept up from her sitting position. Then, as softly as she could muster, Lisa tip-toed out from the camp. When she was about five minutes away from the others, her legs were forced into action. Hobbling towards a small bush by a long gone pillar, she ran a hand down the uneven lime stone, they were only the remains of a great structure. It was thick, and Lisa could not imagine what the buildings looked like a few thousand years before. Decorated in gold and white paintings, she thought of them as a huge artifact, a luxurious palace for the lucky royal families to confide in.

Venturing deeper into the deserted land, Lisa welcomed the cold night breeze. It was pleasing, to feel cool after a day out in the sun. At the sudden reminder, she quickly lift up her blue blouse to see if she had any sunburn. Luckily, she did not.

The weather was getting cold. The shawl she had brought was still with the rest of her party, and she was beginning to regret the decision of leaving it there. She had come too far to go back now. Wrapping her arms around herself to keep her body temperature from dropping, Lisa sat down on the dusty floors.

"My life just keeps getting better and better..." She muttered sarcastically. However, her drowsy condition was soon rattled out when a soft rustling was heard within a few yards away from her. Her body tensed with fear and interest. Part of her wanted to believe that it was some kind of rat, and the other part wanted her to think that it was the wind. She chose the first one.

Standing up, she stepped forward towards the sound. Inching closer to a wall of shrubs, she paused. The noise got louder. Lisa wanted to run. Whatever, or_ whoever _it was, she prayed that it wouldn't jump out and have her for dinner.

She got exactly what she had feared. In a split second, a large figure leaped from the bush. Lisa only had the time to see a black blur before she was tackled roughly to the ground. She opened her mouth to scream, but her lips were silenced as a hand clamped them shut. She struggled to break free, though her actions only brought more fear onto her.

"_Sheket!" _A voice hissed. Not understanding the meaning, Lisa wriggled violently in response. Under the moonlight, she could make out a body of a man. And from his frame, she could tell that he was shirtless. The idea of being strangled by a stranger was the least she could think of right now. Seeing her defiance wasn't weakening, the man closed in on her again.

_"Sheket im aht loh rotzah mavet!" _He snapped again. His grip tightened around her mouth, deadening the squeaks that were escaping from her tongue. Realizing that squirming won't help a bit, Lisa's shrieks calmly died out. At least he didn't hurt her. His face was darkened by the night, so it was tough to get a good look at his face. Slowly, as if she would bite, he lowered his hand just below her chin in case she was to scream again.

"Please, don't have my guts for garters!" Lisa whispered. She had heard of cannibals from her brother, and she wasn't really ready to accept the fate of being eaten alive. Uttering a small grunt in confusion, the attacker canted his head slightly.

_''Mah?" _Again, he was speaking the unknown language. Lisa frowned, maybe he thought she was going to harm him or something. Shifting her hands to her side, she attempted to get up. Surprisingly, the assailant moved off of her. He wobbled to the left and placed his hands to his knees for support. She squinted harder. It seemed like he was exhausted. The man held a hand to his head, as though he was trying to steady himself.

"Are you okay there?" She hesitantly took a step forward, only to freeze in shock as he snarled another foreign word at her. The man was unusual. Up close, Lisa could see that he was quite tall, around six foot, bald, dark skinned, and muscular. But what made her want to turn away was that he had nothing on except for a black tunic around his waist. She looked around for a sign of her brother. Not only did the man need help, he was lost and confused. "Look, I mean you no harm, sir. Now if you'd-"

"Liz! Get away from him!" An unexpected series of footsteps caused the two to turn to the source. Cocking his gun, Rick snarled maliciously at the strange man as his comrades gathered around in the clearing. Recognition lit up the bald man's eyes and he sneered in return. Judging by their hostile reaction, Lisa assumed that Rick has either seen him before, or he was just being protective.

Evy held a trembling hand to her mouth and Ardeth's eyes widened. While on the other hand, Jonathan and Alex both stuck to each other in fear.

"You!" Evy cried. The stranger turned to her, his expression still fierce.

"O'Connell." He acknowledged Rick coldly.

"You...you can speak English?" Lisa asked, amazed. Rick, however, was far from amused.

"Liz, get behind us so I can shoot this devil." He ordered. Lisa stared at him skeptically. There was fire in her brother's eyes, and that usually happened when Rick absolutely loathed someone. There was something about them that told her that the man had some sort of history with him.

But still, busting in and becoming violent was not an excuse. Lisa protested. "And why would I let you shoot an unarmed man? He hasn't even harmed me!" Rick almost choked on her answer.

"_Harmed_ you?! Heck! You're just lucky that he decided not to suck the life force outta you!" She cocked her head in confusion. Sucking her life force? What was that all about? The last time she checked, 'sucking' someone's life force was unheard of.

"The creature must be destroyed at once!" Ardeth said urgently. "We can't have Imhotep bring the curse upon this land again."

_Imhotep, so that's his name._ Lisa thought. She was getting perplexed by the second. And the curse Ardeth spoke of wasn't making things better. Her brain was being filled with dozens of random information at the same time. Staring at the man, she saw that he was still locked in a heated gaze with her brother.

"Wait, who are you calling the creature? And why are you all so fed up with him?" She inquired. Rick ignored her gaze. "Hey! I asked you a question: 'who are you calling the creature'?" Snapping his head to his sister, Rick turned his angry gaze at Lisa, making her flinch. He sensed her uneasiness and quickly softened his eyes, but his gun was still directed at Imhotep.

"Liz, this man is dangerous. Believe me. You don't want to get near him. He caused us a load full of problems when we had our last few trips here."

Lisa furrowed her eyebrows. "And what was the last few trips?"

"I don't have the time to explain!" Rick snapped. "We're in the middle of a crisis!"

"Yes you do-"

"Stop!" They turn to Imhotep, who was panting heavily as he shouted. He was no longer holding Rick's gaze. Evy looked at him, an assortment of feelings flooding over her. She raised a comforting hand over her husbands gun, gesturing to lower it.

"I think he has something to say." She whispered. Imhotep paused for a moment, trying to catch a few gulps of air. From her view, Lisa could see that his eyes were bloodshot and there was bags under them. The man probably hasn't slept for days.

Then, with uncertainty, Imhotep raised his head.

"Five Elements of Ra..." He said, his English accented. "Osiris...wants me to stop...The Serpents." He finished his sentence with effort and struggled to keep a steady tone. The members of the party exchanged curious glances. By now, Lisa was nowhere with her crew, she was completely lost.

"Imhotep..." Evy began cautiously. "Follow us to our camp. And if you make any sudden movements, we _will_ open fire."

Said man managed a snort. Imhotep almost sneered at the woman. But as much as he wanted to kill them all, his muscles felt like shaking noodles with no energy at all. His strength was fading again. And before He could quip back a sarcastic response, his legs gave away and he plummeted onto the floor with a thud.

* * *

**Sheket= Quiet  
**

**_Sheket im aht loh rotzah mavet= Be quiet if you don't want to die_**

**_Mah= What_**


	6. Chapter 6 A Sticky Collaboration

**A/N: Oh my gosh! I love you guys. The reviews are definitely boosting my confidence! Thanks and enjoy the story! Any feedback or suggestions are all welcomed.**

* * *

_Chapter Six~ A Sticky Collaboration_

Imhotep stared at the empty tent blankly as he sat crisscrossed on the floor. O'Connells. Imhotep could not stand the O'Connells. They were the last source of people he would go to. Now if it weren't for that annoying woman who made so much noise, he would've gotten away before the pests arrived with their metal sticks that shot out fire.

Imhotep muttered a curse under his breath. Osiris had taken away most of his powers, rendering him almost defenseless. Obviously, their trust never existed. Now newly resurrected, his body felt weak and tired, worse than the feeling he had for the first two times he was brought back to life.

A human, yes, that was what he felt like. A feeble, mortal human. Imhotep was disgusted by the very idea. The way he collapsed in front of his enemies must have been totally ridiculous, if not, stupid. It had been only two days since his return and he was still unable to use his abilities to the maximum amount. In fact, he would consider himself lucky if he was able to absorb even one life force. His strength was still there, though, and his ability to scale walls hadn't vanished either. Maybe he could put them to use.

He wasn't sure of what the O'Connells had discussed after he passed out. But early the next day, he had fund out that the very woman who had brought his nemesis upon him was none other than the lead O'Connell's godforsaken sister. They said her name was Lisa, or was it Lee-sa? It was a strange name. But just how many people are there who don't have strange names these days? He should have known: the deep blue eyes and the nose, they were truly siblings. Which brings Imhotep to despise himself even more. He should've used the woman when he had the chance.

The flaps of his 'prison' fluttered and the priest tensed. Evy entered the tent, followed by Rick with his guns cocked and ready. And last but not least, the Medjai trotted in. There was a moment of silence. Imhotep could practically hear the sound of smoke rising from the top of the heads of the two men. No doubt they would try to tear him to shreds if given the chance. The woman, however, managed but a calm yet dangerous mask on her face.

_"You know about the Five Elements of Ra."_ She finally stated in the ancient language. _"Who told you?"_

The priest fought hard to keep his lips from bursting with laughter. _"Osiris. The very god that condemned me to this never-ending curse."_

_"And what's in it for you?"_ Evy narrowed her eyes with interest and suspicion. Smirking at her distress, Imhotep rose from his seat. Although his head still throbbed with exhaustion and pain, he was still going to enjoy his moments. Seeing the sudden movement, the two men made a move to pounce on him, but they were stopped by Evy's wave of hand.

_"We made a deal that if I were to successfully eliminate The Serpents, then he, in turn, will lift my curse and our years of hate shall be only history." _Imhotep replied.

Evy glared. _"You swear that this will have nothing to do with Ankh-Su-Namun."_ Imhotep's temper flared at the mention of his lover and he spun around to face her directly in the eyes. Rick tensed at his action and steadied his gun in his hands. The priest clenched his fists as a bitter grimace covered his face.

_"You have no right to talk about her!"_ He snarled. _"And no, I'm not doing this for Ankh-Su-Namun, or any other people. Not even Osiris!"_

Evy flinched at his outburst and she struggled to keep her anger from surfacing, too. At some point, she just wanted to give Rick and Ardeth the sign to just kill him. He caused a crisis in her family twice. And there was no reason why he wouldn't do so the same again. She decided to carry on the conversation in English for Rick to hear. "Very well, what has Osiris told you about the Five elements of Ra?"

Imhotep's head tilted slightly at the dramatic change in language, but he played along nonetheless. Since the years of exposure to the foreign people, he had learned some as well. "He gave me the directions to acquire all the items for the ritual. I assume that your _scholars _haven't discovered most of the objects. Am I correct?"

"Yes." Evy agreed grudgingly. "One of the antiques is now stolen by some men in black clothing with tattoos on their face. And I suppose they are part of the 'Serpents' you have mentioned earlier. But we are now heading to Thebes to locate the seal of Amun-Ra. I'm sure you know where that is."

Imhotep nodded his head. "Yes, I do." Evy went quite for a moment, thoughtfully musing over the possible ideas and outcomes. She gave her husband a knowing look and whispered something in his ears, who, in turn, repeated the same thing to the Medjai. Imhotep stared at their exchange with a scrutinizing glance. He disliked it when people were keeping secrets from him.

"How about we make a truce, Imhotep." She began. "You will take us to the temple where the Seal of Amun-Ra is held and to the other locations as well. We are going to help you accomplish your deal, and in return, you will not bring any harm or crisis upon our family or friends. Is that clear?"

The priest smirked at the offer. He couldn't see why he shouldn't just break out of this tent and carry on his way. Collaborating with his foes was just out of the question. But even Imhotep knew that his strength was not as strong as they were before. A little or sudden slip would have his enemies upon him within a blink of an eye. He had his pride, but he needed his powers more.

Imhotep growled. If he was to stay, he would have more help than he had asked for. And at the same time, his chances of completing his task won't be as difficult as it seemed. There was no choice. He decided to accept the truce.

"Fine. We've got ourselves a deal." He said coldly. Nodding her head, Evy turned to exit the tent. About halfway outside, she turned her head to face him once more. With her eyes filled with warning, she set her mouth to a thin line.

"I just hope that there is still some humanity left in you to keep your word." She said. "Oh, and one more thing: you'll be under the watch of my husband and Ardeth. I'm sure you won't mind." And with that said, she was out of his sight. Ardeth followed suit, giving Imhotep a hateful glare before leaving. When the other two was far off to be heard, Rick stepped up to him, his brow furrowing as he did so. Putting only a feet or two between them, he hissed.

"And if you happen to conjure up any idea to hurt my family, I can promise you that death won't be an option." Spitting the last word out of his mouth, he turned and stalked out into the morning. Standing in the middle of the tent, Imhotep finally released his chortle of mockery. Staring after the family who he had tried to kill many times, he smiled crookedly.

_"No, mortal. Death was never an option."_


	7. Chapter 7 Unanswered Questions

_Chapter Seven~ Unanswered Questions_

"Imhotep is a mummy?" Under the morning sun, Lisa stared at the drowsy Jonathan. The blazing heat that bothered her not seconds ago, vanished completely. It didn't make sense. A mummy was a dead, dried up person, and the chances of an undead person to be back from the dead was impossible.

She didn't believe in sorcery, nor did she believe in her drunk brother-in-law's antics. Something had to be wrong. And she was sure her brother was part of it.

Running a hand through her hair, she faced the small tent her mysterious attacker was held in. The faps ruffled and Evy came out along with Ardeth. Lisa cocked her head: Rick wasn't out with them. She waited for a second, and sure enough, her brother stormed from the tent as well.

She wanted to glare, but her heavy eyelids wouldn't budge. Sleeping on the ground wasn't the most comfortable and her head just managed to hit a rock in the middle of the night. Her neck was still aching from the impact. With the lack of rest still lingering in her head, Lisa confronted Rick.

"How is Imhotep a mummy?" She asked, impatient. She knew the question was unexpected, but she had to know something by now. Rick jumped at the sudden inquiry. He spun around and faced her, his eyes skeptical.

"Who told you this?"

She huffed as though the most obvious answer was already there. "Jonathan, who else?" Her brother lowered his head and muttered what seemed to be a bunch of swears and curses. He moved to grab the drunken Jonathan before he was stopped by Lisa's arm. "Rick O'Connell, as your only sister, I deserve to know what is going on in my family. Don't think you can hide this from me forever. I know you all too well."

Rick just looked at her, his face paling dramatically. Not wavering her gaze, Lisa crossed her arms like a schoolteacher, ready to scold her student. Rick opened his mouth to protest, but even he knew that it was useless. Once his sister had set her eyes on something, she wasn't going to take them off. He let out a defeated sigh and averted his gaze to the horizon. He had hit a dead end.

"I know this may sound funny, or even crazy... But, uh, lately, Evy and I had been on one too many trips here in Egypt." He explained. "And every time we are here, that undead mummy would come back to life and try to kill people. You getting with me here?"

She blinked. "I'm trying?"

"Ok...So what I'm saying is that he is not an ordinary man. He can do unimaginable stuff to people. Trust me."

"Such as..." She pressed. Rick blew a hair from his face and placed his shaking hands on his hips. His lips tightened nervously and he licked them to keep them mobile.

"Such as turning into a tornado, calling on his little beetle friends to devour people, and sucking people dry." He finished his flat confession and turned to his sister. Closing his eyes, he did so just in case she had to yell.

Standing still, Lisa's mouth was slightly ajar with her hands limp on her sides. Rick could bet a person five hundred bucks that she didn't believe a single word that just left his mouth. She blinked twice, processing the information slowly in her mind. After a while, her lips twitched, and she wasn't sure if she was to laugh or get mad at his statement.

"And you think I would actually believe in this?" She asked. "Why did he want to kill people in the first place? Rick, don't tell me you have been running around and causing havoc again."

Rick groaned. "No, it's not what you think it is. This guy is not human. He's cursed. Mummified alive. In other words, he is dangerous! Man, he tried several times to resurrect his girlfriend!"

"Resurrect his girlfriend?" Lisa continued to gawk at him. "Rick, are you sure you're not hallucinating or anything?" She uncrossed her arms and took a step forward, waving her hand in his face in hopes to snap him out of his ramblings. Annoyed, Rick swapped them away. He was trying to be serious, and she wasn't getting any of it. Imhotep was like a lethal weapon, not a thing to be taken lightly.

"No!" He snapped. She jumped back at the high volume. "I'm not hallucinating! This is real, Liz. That man, I mean...thing, can raise a sand wall so high that it an cover a whole town. I swear I am not lying to you! I won't repeat this again. He. Is. Dangerous."

Whipping around, he sucked in a deep breath. It was all messed up. She wasn't supposed to be here. If anything, Lisa should be back in Illinois, not here in the desert. She doesn't believe in magic and those rubbish. A little voice in his head told him that he was just wasting his time trying to warn her of danger.

At the sight of her brother's frustration, Lisa let out a sigh. There was nothing to do but trust him. They were in a desert, a barren desert. And bickering along the way plus the heat was not on her list. Her anger faded and the scalding hot sensation returned to her skin. She wrapped her shawl back on.

Putting a hand to his shoulder, she turned him around to face her. She managed a tight smile. "Look, I understand you are stressed. I'll take your word, alright? Just don't get too strung up here. It makes me jittery."

He nodded. Pulling her into a hug, he gave her a pat on the back. Lisa grinned, the sign meant that everything was okay. At least she hoped so. A small movement from the corner of her eye made her turn her head. Evy and Ardeth came to their side, with Alex in the middle. Pulling away, Lisa could see Imhotep standing at the mouth of the tent.

She frowned. There was nothing about the man that made him look dark. Quite the opposite actually. He appeared tired and beat up. His arms were slacking and his legs were slumping. But there was something in those eyes that screamed deception. The dark, brooding color sent a chill through her spine. Maybe there was more to him than he seemed.

"So what are we going to do now?" She asked.

"We're going to the Ancient Temple of Ra at Thebes." Evy replied, rubbing her eyes. "Imhotep is going to be our guide for the trip." She moved to Rick and gave him a small kiss on the lips. Then she tilted her head upward a muttered a few consoling words to her husband's ears. Muscles relaxing, he smiled. Picking up his bag, Rick returned to his normal self.

"Time to go guys!" Rick shouted. "And would someone please wake up Jonathan." He sauntered to the camels and untied them from their posts. Lisa could feel the animals' relief of being able to move freely again. Going to the horse, he unraveled its leash as well. He turned to face the bald man, his eyes warning him that if he made a wrong move, the consequnces would be severe.

Imhotep returned his gaze with a harsh one of his own. It was a battle between the eyes, and Lisa gulped to keep herself from shrinking back. After a final harumph, Imhotep broke the connection and she wiped her brow. The hate between her brother and the stranger was beyond cure. Lisa had the feeling that this was going to be a long, long trip.


End file.
